Metabolic Optimiser

Introducing Metabolic Optimiser, a powerful blend of anti-inflammatory herbs and nutrients that can help you achieve optimal health and fitness, as part of a balanced diet and training regimen. 

A BIG flavonoid formula (quercetin, green tea extract, boswellia, curcumin, milk thistle, antioxidant mixed supporting nutrients) rounds off this gram based anti-inflammatory, metabolic enhancer.

Individually the ingredients have been scientifically shown to potentially support endurance based activities, enhance fat burning, lowering inflammation and pain, protecting cells, organs and brain against damage, along with direct cleansing support from milk thistle.

We make no claims about the product doing any of these things we're just referring to the available literature. 

Individual studies have show these ingredients potentially maybe able to offer:

• Inflammation Modulating
• Cell protecting
• Cleansing and detox support
• Joint movement and pain support
• Cardiovascular support

Curcumin may colour the skin in certain individuals and may colour sweat this is harmless and actually maybe protective against UV radiation.

As you know Amino Man manufactures and sell health products. 

We don’t claim these have any medical benefits. These are not pharmaceutical or pseudo pharmaceutical in nature. We make no medicinal claims on any product.

We’ve included some references around the ingredients and why and how we designed them to support your health, exercise goals and wellness. This is to help inform your choices about the right health supplements for you and your family and the right time to take them. 

Thank you for being an Amino Man customer. If you need any further help or support please email the team directed.

Each of the ingredients in this formula has been chosen for one (or both) of two reasons:

• It may play a direct role in supporting fat metabolism and weight control

OR

• It can have an anti-inflammatory effect.

So before we get into the details of the ingredients, it’s worth clarifying why substances that have an anti-inflammatory effect could help with fat loss or weight control.

It’s now known that obesity is an inflammatory condition. In other words, people who are obese (or possibly even overweight) have been shown to have chronic low-level inflammation in certain cells and tissues of their body [1]. This is not necessarily inflammation that we can feel, but hidden inflammation, especially in fatty tissue (adipose tissue) [2]. This concept is so widely recognised that this type of inflammation has even been given a specific name: ‘metaflammation’ [3]. Inflammation may then contribute to insulin resistance and possibly leptin resistance too (leptin is known as the ‘satiety hormone’ as it helps to stop us feeling hungry), which can then contribute to further weight gain, in a vicious cycle. Inflammation is also one of the potential causes of the diseases related to obesity, such as heart disease and even cancer.

Therefore, anything that helps to reduce inflammation could have a beneficial effect in supporting health and a return to a healthy weight. And this could apply not only to those who are obese, but anyone who has extra pounds to lose.

In addition, anti-inflammatory plant extracts can be supportive for recovery after exercise, as well as pain in the joints or muscles, or injury-related pain.

Green tea

Green tea is one of the most widely researched foods for its potential to support fat metabolism and weight control. In addition to its content of caffeine, which is known to increase energy expenditure (calorie burning), the catechins (a type of polyphenol) found in green tea are also thought to play a role.

In one of the earlier human studies investigating this effect of green tea, ten men were given one of three treatments: a green tea extract containing caffeine and epigallocatechin gallate (a catechin), a caffeine-only supplement, or a placebo, each taken in three doses over 24 hours. When the men took the green tea extract, their energy expenditure over 24 hours was found to increase by 4% relative to the placebo (i.e. they burned 4% more calories). This would be equivalent to an extra 100 calories per day if their basic daily calorie expenditure was 2,500 calories. When the men took the caffeine only, this had no effect, indicating it’s more than just the caffeine at work. [4]

Two meta-analysis studies provide more sound evidence that green tea may have a beneficial effect for weight management and body composition. (Meta-analyses are considered the ‘gold standard’ in clinical research, as they analyse the results of several high-quality clinical trials rather than just looking at a single result.) The first of these – published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – looked at the results of 15 studies on a total of 1,243 patients. The authors found that taking green tea catechins together with caffeine resulted in an average decrease in BMI of 0.55 points, and a decrease in body weight of 1.38 kg compared with caffeine alone. [5] The second paper, published in the journal Obesity Reviews, found that both caffeine alone and caffeine with green tea catechins increased calorie burning over 24 hours by about 100 calories (which is in line with the small study quoted above [4]). But only the combination of caffeine with catechins significantly increased fat oxidation (the breakdown of fats for energy). [6]

In addition, green tea may have beneficial effects in fat metabolism by helping to control inflammation. It’s been established that green tea catechins have an anti-inflammatory effect [7]. In addition, green tea may specifically reduce inflammation in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates metabolism, helping to maintain its normal function. [8]

Turmeric

Turmeric is well known as a spice used in curries. But it’s also been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, especially in Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Modern research has found that compounds in turmeric – especially curcumin – can have potent anti-inflammatory activity.

Studies have also found that curcumin in particular may promote weight loss. It may work in several ways, including having a direct anti-inflammatory effect in fatty tissue and fat cells [9], increasing production of adiponectin (a hormone that improves our sensitivity to insulin and has an anti-inflammatory effect), helping to reduce insulin resistance and hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar), and interacting with proteins in many types of cells throughout the body, including liver cells, pancreatic cells and muscle cells [10].

As well as its anti-inflammatory activity, turmeric (or curcumin) has been found to have multiple potential benefits of our health. These include antioxidant, wound-healing, anti-microbial, anti-cancer and pain-relieving activities. [11]

Boswellia

Boswellia is Indian frankincense – a tree that’s native to Africa and Asia. The ‘therapeutic’ part of the tree is the resin. Like turmeric, boswellia resin has a long history of use for medicinal purposes in Indian Ayurvedic medicine.

The most researched property of boswellia is its anti-inflammatory activity. Boswellic acids – substances in boswellia resin – have been found to inhibit the synthesis of leukotrienes, natural chemicals released in the body that can promote inflammation. [12, 13] Boswellic acids are thought to be the most active constituents of boswellia [12], which is why most boswellia that is used in nutritional supplements is standardised to contain a specific percentage of these compounds (as in this formula).

Boswellia has also shown potential to support blood glucose control. In diabetic rats, it was found that a single dose of boswellia could decrease their blood glucose levels; and continued use decreased triglycerides and cholesterol too [14]. However, there don’t seem to be any published human clinical trials to back this up as yet.

Ginger

Ginger also has known anti-inflammatory properties [15].

Ginger has also been researched specifically for its potential to support weight management. In a small study by researchers at Columbia University, ten men were given 2g of ginger powder dissolved in water after breakfast and monitored for six hours, and also monitored under the same conditions but without taking the ginger. It was found that the ginger increased the thermic effect of the food (the amount of calories burned in actually digesting the food). The men also reported feeling fuller and less hungry when taking the ginger. [16]

Animal studies have also examined this effect. In a study by researchers in Egypt, ginger supplementation was compared with orlistat (a medication that blocks fat absorption) for its potential to support weight loss in rats fed a high-fat diet. The researchers reported that the ginger reduced body weight in the rats, without some of the negative side effects of orlistat. [17] A later study also found that rats that were put on a high-fat diet for four weeks and also given ginger had reduced body weight and fat mass compared to those on the same diet but not given ginger. Those on the ginger also showed lower blood glucose levels, and lower cholesterol and triglycerides. [18]

More research is needed to prove that ginger can help with weight management or fat loss in humans, but the indications are that it may have a positive effect.

Chocamine

Chocamine is a cocoa extract. As well as providing flavour, Chocamine contains natural active substances found in cocoa, including theobromine (a substance similar to caffeine), polyphenols, and a substance called phenylethylamine (often abbreviated to PEA).

One of the beneficial actions of dark chocolate or cocoa may be improving insulin sensitivity, which leads to better blood sugar control. This means it could help to manage cravings and support weight management or fat loss too.

Most of the studies that have shown benefits for insulin sensitivity have been carried out on people with high risk factors for heart disease, as cocoa and chocolate are thought to have several beneficial effects for heart health. A review article published in the Journal of Nutrition analysed 24 separate clinical trials on cocoa – comprising over 1,000 participants – with the overall results indicating that cocoa consumption could significantly decrease insulin resistance (i.e. improve insulin sensitivity) in these participants [19]. A later review of 42 studies also found similar results [20]. Both these analyses indicated that cocoa could slightly reduce blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels too, confirming its heart health benefits. And in another recently published review study, the authors state that ‘cocoa flavonols have been proved to enhance glucose uptake through the promotion of glucose transport’ [21].

Obviously, this doesn’t mean consuming ordinary chocolate is necessarily going to help with fat loss! Chocamine is a concentrated cocoa extract, without added sugar or fat, that’s designed to provide only the beneficial constituents of cocoa.

Quercetin

Quercetin is a type of flavonoid that’s found in small amounts in many vegetables and fruits, including onions, apples, kale and berries. It’s been reported to have numerous beneficial effects for our health, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity [22].

Like many of the other ingredients in this formula, quercetin could support weight management by regulating inflammation. In-vitro (‘test tube’) and animal studies have shown that it could reduce obesity-induced inflammation [23] – the ‘metaflammation’ discussed above.

Quercetin could work in various other ways too. It may increase insulin sensitivity and improve glucose control [24, 25]; and in-vitro studies have indicated that it can reduce adipogenesis (the building of new fat cells) [26]. Studies on mice have shown that it can prevent fat gain associated with a high-fat diet [24] and reduce body weight in mice – by as much as 40% in one study [23].

Again, human studies are limited. But quercetin shows great potential to help regulate body fat and support fat metabolism.

References

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